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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394340">Fifty Bucks and A Packet of Chewing Gum</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortitude/pseuds/shortitude'>shortitude</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bellamy Blake Needs 0.3 seconds to fall for Raven Reyes, F/M, Hallmark vibes, Modern AU, mentions of grief, vague mentions of character death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:22:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortitude/pseuds/shortitude</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bellamy Blake just wanted to get out of town for Christmas. Take a roadtrip, see the world's largest museum, regular professor stuff. Instead, his car crashes and he ends up the protagonist of a Hallmark festive movie. </p>
<p>At least the mechanic is cool.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bellamy Blake/Raven Reyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Ravenbell New Year Fanfiction Exchange (2020)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fifty Bucks and A Packet of Chewing Gum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbecauseyoubelievesomething/gifts">justbecauseyoubelievesomething</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So there was one more prompt on your list of prompts that sounded really cute, and I wanted to write some fluff, but what came out of it was way too many words dedicated to Bellamy and Octavia's sibling relationship as well as shenanigans. Hopefully, like Bellamy, we can still all agree that mechanic!Raven is really cool. </p>
<p><b>Prompt</b> Modern AU; one of the two is driving through a small town trying to get home for Christmas when their car breaks down and they are forced to take it to the town’s only mechanic; they snark at each other before the mechanic invites the stranded party to Christmas dinner; found family; fluff; basically you’re typical Hallmark-esque set-up.</p>
<p><b>Content Warning:</b> Aurora is dead, and this is vaguely hinted at at the beginning, then again at the end.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Who goes on a road trip before Christmas?”</p>
<p>It’s the third time this week that his sister has asked him this question, and for a split second, Bellamy considers just ending the call and blaming it on inclement weather. But he knows what will happen if he does that. Octavia will call him back to say something like <i>If you have the time to type out inclement weather while driving it’s not that bad, don’t hang up on me again, you donut</i>. Or maybe she’ll just call him a fucking dickhead, because surely has promise to watch her language isn’t going to last that long? </p>
<p>“O,” is what he says, tired, focused on the road ahead and grateful that the heating in his car and the GPS are both working well. “I am not having this conversation with you again. The signal is shit enough as it is -”</p>
<p>“Really? Because I hear you crystal clear.”</p>
<p>“The signal is <i>extremely</i> shitty enough as it is,” he insists through gritted teeth, “so I’d rather not do this if we can skip.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” There is silence on the other end of the line, it stretches out for so long that Bellamy has to glance over and make sure that his sister hasn’t hung up. Right on cue, she speaks: “You could’ve come visit us.” </p>
<p>Bellamy’s snort is very likely audible. “I would’ve liked to, believe me, but I can’t afford the tickets all the way to - where in Australia are you guys now?”</p>
<p>“It’s not like I couldn’t have helped out with -”</p>
<p>“Nope. Not having <i>that</i> talk again either. Listen, Christmas is shit - for both of us - but I can’t travel across the world for two weeks, I can’t afford to. I can definitely afford to take a road trip for a few days, and if that’s enough to keep me away from the house right now, well…” </p>
<p>A sigh from the bluetooth speakers tell him that Octavia understands. She might have chosen to be the sibling with wanderlust that took her as far away as another continent, but the motivation is all the same for both of them. The only difference between them, in this case, is that Bellamy is not yet ready to say goodbye to their childhood home, and the memories contained within. </p>
<p>Except at Christmas, when he just can’t stand to be alone in that place, when the walls are claustrophobic. At any other time of the year, work keeps him busy enough to not need to go home unless it’s to sleep, but schools are closed over winter break, and that leaves a lot of free time. A lot of frigid walls, and a lot of pictures of mom, from before. </p>
<p>“Call me selfish,” he says after a few seconds more, “But I just didn’t feel like being there this Christmas, on my own. I’d rather be on my own in a car.” There is a pause. “Besides, they’re keeping the Smithsonian open, and it’s probably going to be empty this time of year.”</p>
<p>“I can’t say I disagree - it takes a special kind of dedicated nerd to go to a museum on Christmas.”</p>
<p>“History teacher, okay? I am honing my skills. Not driving three hundred miles to visit a museum because I’m passionate about it or anything, this is strictly business.” </p>
<p>“Alright, strictly business.” A pause from her. “Well, don’t get lost. You know how it goes around Christmas, one bad turn and you’re in the middle of a Hallmark movie.”</p>
<p>“Unlikely. I’m not white enough for that.”</p>
<p>Octavia laughs. “Okay, I’m hanging up now, before I spend my entire week’s wages on this call. I love you, big brother. Do <i>not</i> be a stranger, even if Christmas is shitty.”</p>
<p>“I promise to try.” </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>In hindsight, he should have expected his sister to jinx him. She has a habit of doing that - like how she joked once that he’d grow out of the police academy in three weeks, and was spot on about it. He’s not going to <i>tell her</i>, because he’s the bigger man here, but she’s right. </p>
<p>His car gives up about fifty miles from DC, and it takes a lot of begging and cooing at the engine to coax it onto the safety road. <i>Apparently</i>, the nearest mechanic is in a small town sixty miles <i>back</i>. By the time the tow truck arrives, it’s two hours and Bellamy has eaten through his snacks, made a reservation at the town’s only inn, and texted Octavia a picture of his middle finger aimed at the engine failure light on the dashboard. </p>
<p>He is feeling mighty mature, all in all. </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The drive to Arkadia is done in silence, him and this older guy named Sinclair, just hanging out together in the tow truck like a pair of awkward bros. He expects a barrage of questions, and maybe some judgement - like who takes a roadtrip near Christmas? - but instead he has to deal with The Greatest Hits album by Queen, on repeat. </p>
<p>“So how much do you think fixing it is going to cost me?” he asks Sinclair, just to break the silence between <i>mamma mia</i>s. </p>
<p>“You’ll want to talk to the mechanic about that.”</p>
<p>“I thought you’re the mechanic.”</p>
<p>“Nope.” </p>
<p>Again, the conversation is excellent. <i>Peak Hallmark movie, thanks O.</i></p>
<p>“Just the tow truck driver?” he tries, jovially.</p>
<p>Sinclair gives him a sigh and a look. “Son, I am retired astrophysicist with a big truck and a lot of time on my hands, I don’t need lip from some history nerd taking a road trip on Christmas.”</p>
<p>“What - how -”</p>
<p>“You have Smithsonian guides on your passenger’s seat.” And a sigh from Sinclair, again - it’s becoming a trend. “Our mechanic will give you a quote and fix her up for you, but I suggest you get comfortable because a car doesn’t stop in the middle of the road because of a glitch.” </p>
<p>He makes a note to hide the guides before this mechanic sees them and judges him too, and reminds himself that he is a grown-ass man and he can take a grown-ass man road trip if he wants to. Whenever. And furthermore - “You know it’s a bit sexist to just refer to cars as <i>she</i>.”</p>
<p>Sinclair turns up the volume on <i>I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me</i>, and Bellamy decides that they’ve reached a tie.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Arkadia is picturesque in a way that would’ve easily made Bellamy - consummate city boy - overlook it completely. There is snow, and tinsel, and a lot of kitsch-y decorations all around. There are families with children, and restaurants running mulled wine stands, and a small Christmas Market in the middle of the square, with a big tree and all. </p>
<p>It is, all in all, very Hallmark-worthy. </p>
<p>Thankfully, the presence of a large progress pride flag fluttering in the wind above the town’s only auto shop sets him more at ease.</p>
<p>“Took you long enough, I was about to close,” says a tiny slip of a woman, dressed up in a mechanic’s onesie, black turtleneck visible underneath. She looks very grumpy, in a small town mechanic sort of way - she also looks unfairly hot, in an unfairly hot kind of way. Not that Bellamy is going to stare.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Raven,” says Sinclair, his demeanour doing a one-eighty degree turn, a smile on his face that speaks volumes about how much he appreciates his grumpy cat of a human. “It took me a while to get her towed.”</p>
<p>“We’ve talked about assigning gender to objects before, Sinclair, what did we agree on?”</p>
<p>“Gender is a social construct, and I’m not Nicholas Cage, so I don’t get to talk about cars in feminine,” Sinclair entones, with the enthusiasm of a tooth extraction. He tosses Raven the keys to Bellamy’s car, and rolls his eyes. “Let’s get <i>it</i> on the ramp, I want to get home in time for dinner before my husband petitions for a divorce.”</p>
<p><i>Oh no,</i> thinks Bellamy. <i>This isn’t Hallmark. I’m in a fucking Gilmore Girls reboot.</i></p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Raven Reyes, the town mechanic, is a super genius. </p>
<p>It takes Bellamy approximately twenty minutes in her presence to notice this. There are diplomas hanging on the walls of her office, where she sets him up with a cup of tea while she gets acquainted with his car. Imposing diplomas, with imposing degrees, with honors, granted to the young woman working in the shop below, with a smudge of engine oil on her nose. </p>
<p>There is also a framed picture of Raven Reyes, younger than she must be right now, holding a first prize in the county state science fair, with a proud and also younger Sinclair beside her. </p>
<p>“He’s my uncle,” she explains, stepping through the door and catching him snooping. “Or father figure, if you wanna be specific. He also decorated this office for me, so I’m aware how geeky it makes me look, but…” </p>
<p>Bellamy gives her a smile in understanding. Right - as if he knows what father figures who stick by your side even are like. </p>
<p>“So…” he tries, feeling awkward under her serious, examining gaze. “Car?”</p>
<p>“Oh. Right.” She takes a deep breath, and releases it. “I can fix it, so that’s the bright side. The not so bright side is that it’ll cost you quite a hefty sum -- and time, of course. It might be cheaper to sell it for scraps, unless you’re attached to the car?”</p>
<p>“I am slightly attached to the car,” he admits, because he hasn’t really calculated car malfunction in this Christmas road trip. “What kind of a hefty sum?”</p>
<p>“Depends - how big is your budget?” </p>
<p>“Fifty bucks and a packet of chewing gum.” </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Surprising nobody, the chewing gum does not seal the deal. Raven promises she’ll take a closer look in the morning with fresh eyes, and hopefully there will be some plot twist to reveal that it was nothing more than an on-board computer malfunction. </p>
<p>“But in the meantime, it’s Christmas Eve - I gotta close up.” </p>
<p>Well shit - he hadn’t even realised the date, or the time, in his haste to leave town two days ago. Has he been driving for two days? There’s no way he’s going to make it to DC now, unless there is some Christmas miracle tomorrow when Raven looks at the car again. </p>
<p>And, okay, he’s just met her but he kind of feels bad making her fix his car on Christmas Day, like he’s half expecting Father Priestly (oh yeah, for real) to appear in a vision and shame him for disrespecting the sanctity of turkey leftovers. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure, I’ll get out of your hair. I got a room at the Miracle Inn, so I -” </p>
<p>“The what now?” Raven interrupts, raising both eyebrows. </p>
<p>“The Miracle Inn? It’s listed as a quaint little hostel on the edge of Arkadia why are you looking at me like that oh fuck me please don’t say it’s a scam.” </p>
<p>There is a pause. Bellamy almost forgets to breathe. “Alright,” says Raven, with a smug smile, “I won’t say it, then.”</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>hey o<br/>
don’t freak out but my car gave up on living last night so my roadtrip is on pause for the moment<br/>
are you pleased? I feel like you jinxed this<br/>
also, proof #31 i might be part of a hallmark movie, the town mechanic has invited me to crash on her couch for the night. apparently there is also a big dinner with her friends.<br/>
what in the fresh hell kind of dream town is this???<br/>
[read at 25th December, 06:58]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>i am still alive - the car is also still alive<br/>
an xmas miracle after all!<br/>
last night i ate a lot of christmas tacos and drank a lot of coronas with some really cool people, coolest of all my host and saviour, the mechanic (her name is raven, you’d like her, i think)<br/>
i might still be a little drunk if not hungover but anyway i’m gonna have to stick around arkadia until the car is fixed<br/>
it’ll be too late to go to the museum by then<br/>
:(<br/>
[read 25th December 16:03]</p>
<p>update on smithsonian now<br/>
raven has a car and we are going to take a roadtrip there tomorrow together<br/>
she deserves a break, and i’m hoping i can treat her to shitty museum coffee for the massive favours she’s been doing for me<br/>
i’m hoping they’re not all because of xmas spirit<br/>
is it wrong to have a crush on the mechanic who’s fixing your baby after 24h of meeting her (the mechanic, not the car)?<br/>
further proof this might be hallmark<br/>
[read 26th December 00:12]</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>“You’re staring,” Raven says, interrupting the silence filled by only music up until this point. They’ve been driving quietly since coming back from the museum, and Bellamy has been floating a little bit ever since. It might have a little bit to do with the way the sunset lights up Raven’s profile so prettily. “Do I have something on my face?” </p>
<p>“No - you’re all good.” </p>
<p>The phone buzzes in his pocket around this time, saving him from a moment of mortification at being caught practically mooning. </p>
<p>He pulls up the new texts on his messages - Octavia’s timezone difference makes for some really interesting texting, and it looks like his sister has finally had a chance to catch up on the updates he’s sent her. And she’ll say he never gives her anything. </p>
<p>His smile drops a little bit when he reads the first line of the message (though in time, it returns).</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>hey big bro<br/>
happysad 26th dec<br/>
you know my therapist says that the first year anniversary is the hardest one, and i think they’re right about that<br/>
even mom told me that it’d get easier with time - and that was before all of...you know<br/>
in any case, i’m glad you spent this time surrounded by nice people and good food<br/>
i love you a lot - always<br/>
(please stop being an idiot and ask the woman out if she’s so cool)<br/></p>
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